Leon Sommé – The Body Boat Blade Story

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Dubside and Andrew catch up with renowned sea kayak coach Leon Sommé, co-founder of Body Boat Blade International on Orcas Island. Leon shares the journey from his first sea kayak in the Boundary Waters to building one of North America’s most respected kayak schools with his partner, Shawna Franklin. Along the way, he talks about memorable expeditions—including circumnavigating Iceland and Vancouver Island—the golden era of sea kayaking symposiums, Greenland paddling influences, and the enduring value of teaching risk assessment and seamanship. Now medically retired from professional coaching, Leon reflects on a lifetime on the water, the community he helped shape, and the adventures that still keep him moving.